


Wake Up

by AllTimePhan73



Series: Wake Up [1]
Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Manipulation, Nightmares, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-26
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 03:54:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 11,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14729460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTimePhan73/pseuds/AllTimePhan73
Summary: Ethan is haunted by nightmares. Every night Blank comes for him, torturing him until the moment he wakes up. So he's living off minimal sleep and way too many cups of coffee.It isn't healthy and he knew that. But what else could he do?Mark thinks he helps when he sleeps with him but, in reality, that means Dark can join in with the torturing. It isn't fun. Ethan can't take it anymore.But Blank isn't bad. At least, he doesn't want to be.Will the torturing ever end? Or will it carry on until the day Dark kills Ethan?TW: kind of a manipulative relationship, violence and a whole damn lot of threats, a little bit of anxiety, attempted suicide and some minor self harm.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, this is a reupload from my Wattpad so nothing is stolen! My Wattpad is also AllTimePhan73 if you want to check it out :)

_"Please, Dark." Blank whined, looking over at Dark who was staring into space. He had his hands tucked into his suit pockets, deep inside his thoughts._

_"What?" Dark very almost yelled. His eyes, that were surrounded in eyeliner, filled with red fury, not specifically aimed at anyone. He was angry. At the world. At himself. At the humans._

_"Why don't you talk to me anymore? Tell me what's going on in your life. We used to be close and actually know more about each other than just our first names."_

_"You know my second name is Fischbach. Like that dreaded human. And yours is Nestor. So we know more about each other than our first names. No need to exaggerate."_

_"You know what I mean though! I have no idea what you get up to outside the house. You never give me attention anymore so you could be cheating on me for all I know."_

_"I'm not. Let's leave it at that, okay Blank?"_

_"No, Dark, let's not leave it as that. Tell me what you get up to when you're not home and maybe I'll forgive you."_

_"Leave me alone for a moment, will you? You're so clingy and annoying! I'm not cheating on you and you should trust me!"_

_"Sorry..." Blank mumbled, directing his gaze down to his feet and shoving his hands into his pockets. He had never felt so threatened by the other man before and it petrified him. Dark and Blank used to be joint at the hip, doing everything together... then Dark changed into an emotionless monster. Or maybe he was always that way to everyone else. Blank just used to be able to see a different side to him, one that could actually feel things and be loving._

_"Thank you. Now go. I'm thinking about something serious. That human of yours."_

_"What are you going to do to him?"_

_Dark let out a loud snort. "You sound like you care about him. Do you actually want to get on with that worthless human?"_

_"Well... he did give me life after-" Blank let out a short yelp as Dark's hand sharply came in contact with his pale cheek. The sting remained for a few moments after the hit so he scrunched his eyes shut as tightly as possible._

_"I want you to hurt him."_

_"I can't do that. He's the reason-"_

_"He hates you Blank. No one will ever love you but me. If you want me to stay, you need to hurt him. Haunt him in the one place you have access to him: his dreams."_

_"But-"_

_"Blank," Dark looked up and cupped Blank's cheeks with his hands. "I'll love you if you do this."_

_They met eyes so all Blank could do was nod and mumble, "Okay."_


	2. Chapter 2

"Hi Ethan!" Mark grinned, waving at his friend. "You're up late?"

"Went to bed late." Ethan simply replied, rubbing his eyes with his fists and yawning. He had stayed up late recording and, when he had eventually gone to bed, he had been plagued with nightmares. It was mainly the same one, over and over again like a broken record: a dark version of himself torturing him until his throat was dry from screaming and his eyes were burning from how many tears they had shed.

They went silent for a moment as Ethan reached up into the cupboards and pulled out a mug. "You shouldn't do that." Mark spoke up, making Ethan send him a puzzled expression. "Stay up so late. If videos are stressing you out-"

"They're not. I like to do it."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"Okay." It was weird how two best friends could feel so awkward so quickly. The uncomfortable environment was most likely due to Ethan's distance- not literally but mentally. Mark had noticed how half the time the man didn't seem to be in the same world.

But he never questioned it. He had always been a daydreamer.

-

As the days passed, the bags under Ethan's eyes got thicker and darker. He looked like a walking zombie. A couple of hours sleep became a miracle to him, something he treasured. He found himself jolting up in the middle of the night, his breathing heavy and his head layered in sweat, multiple times. Sometimes twice in an hour.

They weren't regular nightmares. Not the ones where you're chased for a bit, you wake up and then you can let out a long breath and certainly say you're safe. They made him feel unsafe in the real world too.

He woke up and the tight grip that strangled him was still there in the form of a dark, red mark. His eyes would still burn from the tears. He'd still be covered in bruises from the hits. What made it so much worse was the fact that his enemy, _the demon that haunted his dreams_ , was himself. A version of himself with dark eyes, black tears and a tendency to glitch at absurd times.

Some nights were worse than others. Some nights he'd wake up, cuts on his arms that were bleeding. Desperate not to get any on his bed sheets, he'd have to run to his bathroom and try his best to wash himself up. Then he'd have to wear jumpers, even in the LA heat, so that no one would worry.

There was only one way to avoid the man, _Blank_ as he called himself. That was to not sleep.

-

Dosed up on coffee, Ethan felt like he was only physically in the real world. His desk was littered with old coffee cups, a mixture of Starbucks cups and his own mugs. Mark was the one to come in and clear them up after Ethan inevitably fell asleep. He'd send Ethan a sad, worried glance before scooping up the washing and taking it into the kitchen.

"Ethan," Mark questioned in a low voice, shaking the younger man. He had started to tremble in his sleep, letting out helpless gasps so Mark just had to intervene. "Wake up. It's okay." Ethan's eyes slowly opened and he glanced around the room, fear in his countenance. His eyes were sparkling with tears so Mark gently whispered, "You're okay. Do you want to talk about the nightmare?"

"No. I'm sorry you had to see that." Ethan stood up, wiping his eyes. Mark opened up his mouth to say something but, before he could, Ethan had shot out of the room.

-

_Blank's eyes were streaming black tears as he pushed Ethan up against the wall. He watched as Ethan struggled and screamed, wishing he could do the same himself. He didn't want to hurt the human version of himself; the man who gave him life... but he couldn't help it._

_It was like he was a puppet and Dark was operating the strings, moving his limbs and making him do that. His arms moved due to Dark's commands, holding a knife up against Ethan's throat and making him choke out a plea. "I can't stop." Blank replied but his voice was not threatening. It was laced with terror but Ethan was in too much pain to notice the suffering of his darker self. The only reason Blank was causing so much pain was because he was desperate to be loved. He was willing to do anything Dark commanded in order to receive the love he craved._

_"Someone's going to notice my pain-"_

_"No. No one cares." Blank was voicing those thoughts in his head. He wasn't referring to Ethan's situation. He was referring to his own._


	3. Chapter 3

"What's that?" Mark asked at breakfast. For once, they had decided to sit down together and cook. It was Mark's idea, probably because he wanted to finally question if his best friend was okay. After witnessing him have countless nightmares and seeing his bruises that just got worse as the days passed, he finally felt like he had no choice but to intervene. 

"What?" Ethan replied. Mark's gaze was fixed on Ethan's neck so Ethan felt it with one of his hands. He recoiled once he felt the sting of the cut. He had completely forgotten about it when he woke up. "It's nothing, I-"

"It isn't nothing... What happened? It looks like someone's held a knife against your throat." Mark chuckled after finishing the last sentence, obviously joking. Ethan's expression hardened so the humour drained from the other's face. "Ethan... did someone do this to you?"

"No, I-" But Ethan couldn't form a decent excuse. The only option was the truth. "Technically no. I've been having nightmares... " Mark nodded, unsure of how that related to the cut on Ethan's throat. "There's this... version of myself. He calls himself Blank. When I sleep, he- he- he tortures me. Last night, he had a knife so," Ethan gestured to his throat. "That happened."

"You're telling me this happened in a dream, right. Tell me the truth, Eth."

"I am. He's been haunting me since I can last remember."

"This isn't a joke."

"I'm not joking! He's making my life hell. Did you never wonder why I couldn't sleep?" His voice was shaking as tears began to well up in his eyes.

"That does make sense... come here, Eth." Mark wrapped his arms around the younger man, rubbing his back gently. "Sleep with me tonight," He whispered. "I'll be there for you if you get hurt."

-

Sleeping with Mark made it worse. All it did was introduce Ethan to a new face: a man named Dark. He looked exactly like his friend but in no way did his personality represent Mark's. It made him see a new side of Blank though. A side that was just as scared as Ethan.

_"Well, well, well. I finally get to meet the famous Ethan in person," The evil version of Mark circled Ethan, as if he was his prey. "I'm Dark by the way. For as long as you sleep with that guy, you'll be dealing with me too. And, trust me, I'm not as weak and pathetic as him." Dark pointed at Blank who was shaking, the black tears already dripping down his cheeks._

_"No," Ethan stepped closer to the man, no matter how menacing he seemed. He looked straight into his eyes, searching the red for any remains of his best friend. "Mark? Are you in there?"_

_Dark's response was to bark out a loud laugh. "Pathetic. Just like Blank. Mark isn't anywhere. He can't save you."_

_"He can if I scream!" Ethan opened his mouth to yell but Dark was quick to send Blank a command. Blank's hands were then covering his mouth so he couldn't yell, as much as he wanted to. He thrashed around, trying to push his evil ego away. He needed to escape._

_"If you promise not to scream, he'll let go."  Ethan stopped with his fidgeting so Blank uncovered his mouth but stayed close._

_"Are you going to kill me?"_

_"That's no fun, now is it?"_

-

Ethan had never been more glad to wake up. Even though he had been through hell in his dreams, punches, knives against his throat..., not once before had he been more relieved to wake up. Mark was asleep beside him, quiet breaths leaving his open mouth. He looked so peaceful and calm which made Ethan shudder. He sincerely hoped Dark stayed inside his dreams rather than his friend's.

He'd withhold the torture if it meant his friend stayed safe. 

Ethan slipped out of the bed as slowly as possible so he didn't disturb Mark's sleeping figure. He headed across the hall to his own bedroom, even though it was pushing five in the morning. He had slept for around four hours which was better than usual so he actually felt rather refreshed. He got dressed into some day clothes (skinny jeans and a baggy jumper) and then unplugged his phone from where it had been left on charge in the kitchen. 

He pocketed it, slipped on a pair of shoes and left the house.

The world seemed so much more at peace at such an early time. The sun was the only sign of light, pinks and yellows illuminating the sky and making the city look so much more pretty. It was fairly cold but Ethan's jumper kept him warm enough. The breeze was blowing his hair in all different directions so he kept having to bring a hand up to it and brush it back to normal. But that wasn't annoying. It was calming.

Walking was therapeutic. The world was silent as it slept so the only sound was the rustling of leaves and Ethan's light footsteps. It helped him calm down and not think about Blank.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where have you been?" Mark immediately asked as Ethan walked in the door. He was sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal in front of him. He looked like he had only just sat down because the bowl was still full for the most part.

"Just woke up a little earlier than usual and decided to go for a walk." Ethan replied without hesitation. Mark looked down at his cereal before picking up his spoon and eating some of the food.

"Nightmare?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"So... I'm guessing that's a yes?"

"Yeah but it's okay. I got around four hours-"

"That's nothing, Ethan... You need like eight hours to function."

Ethan looked down at the floor as he kicked his shoes off of his feet. "Four's a good night."

"It shouldn't be. Did sleeping with me help?"

Ethan nodded but he was lying. Dark made it all so much worse.

"Then you're welcome to sleep with me as much as you want."

"Thanks."

-

_"Why do you do this?" Ethan choked out. Dark's hand was wrapped around his neck, just tight enough to choke but not enough to completely suffocate. Despite this, Ethan's face was turning a light shade of red, getting darker by the second._

_"Because it's fun. Watching you suffer. I live off of your pain." Dark was smirking, obviously enjoying Ethan's pain and panic. Ethan had no idea why but his eyes slowly diverted to his own evil ego who had stayed completely quiet the whole time. Blank's eyes were wide with what appeared to be fear and he kept shifting his weight from one foot to another. Dark followed Ethan's gaze and frowned. "Blank, I think he wants you to join in."_

_"Please, no-" Ethan started but Dark was quick to slap him across the face._

_"Shut up! Come on, Blank, you know you want to." Dark's voice was laced with something threatening, something that urged Blank forward. Blank's hands were much smaller as they wrapped around Ethan's neck. They were a lot softer though and he seemed more careful._

_Ethan met his evil ego's eyes and his grip immediately weakened. Ethan took that as a chance to push him away and escape from the hands. He tried to run but they were inside a dream so he had nowhere to go._

_"You're going to regret this, Ethan." Had Dark grown taller? He seemed like he had. He was now towering over the younger, making him feel smaller than a particle of dust. Ethan's hands immediately went to his face and he crouched to make himself as small as possible. He couldn't even open his mouth to attempt to scream for help._

-

Ethan stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. His hand lifted to his neck and ghosted over the finger-shaped bruises. People were going to start to notice if the injuries were in places that were visible. He didn't even own any makeup to cover up the marks so he was going to either have to come up with an excuse, take a break from YouTube until the bruises cleared up or go to the shop to buy some makeup.

The shop was the best option.

"Mark!" Ethan yelled, exiting the bathroom. When his roommate promptly yelled back, he explained that he was just going out quickly. He didn't say where because he didn't want to be questioned. He didn't want Mark to know how bad it had gotten.

-

Ethan had never bought makeup before so he frowned as he looked down at the array of makeup products. He picked up a weird tube thing, squinting his eyes as he flipped it over in his hand. He read the writing as concealer and just put it in his basket anyway. **(I know nothing about makeup either so if concealer isn't the right stuff pretend he picked up something else, okay?)** Whilst he was in the shop, he also got some milk because he knew they were low and it would give him an excuse if Mark asked where he had gone.

-

He made sure to quickly shove the milk in the fridge then dart upstairs before Mark could see him. He locked the bathroom and started to work with the concealer. He dabbed a generous amount over his neck and rubbed it in until it looked fairly blended. When he was happy with the result, he pretended nothing had happened and went to record a video.


	5. Chapter 5

_"For fuck's sake, Blank! You can't do anything right. Nothing has stopped you from hurting the pathetic human before!" Dark yelled, watching as black tears streamed down Blank's face. Dark was distracted so Ethan struggled out of his grip that had loosened slightly._

_"I can't do this anymore! Please stop." Blank sounded just as desperate as Ethan when he pleaded for his torturers to stop._

_"You're a useless human being! You love me and I am the only person who will ever love you. You need me and if you want me, I command you to hurt him." Dark didn't sound as menacing anymore; his voice was more calm... but a creepy kind of calm. He sounded like he was on edge and one tiny push would send him flying overboard into a fit of anger; maybe even a murderous rampage._

_"I need you." Blank mumbled, making Dark smile. Any simple bystander would see what appeared to be authenticity and love but, if you looked hard enough, you'd see the manipulation hidden underneath. It wasn't a safe loving relationship. It was manipulative._

_"You don't," Ethan dared speak up. Both Dark and Blank's heads jolted to face him, as if they had forgotten he had been there. "You don't need him at all, Blank. You're your own person- or- or demon or whatever you are."_

_"Don't get involved." Blank moved forward quicker than lightning, so fast that he almost disappeared for a moment. Dark didn't even need to tell him that time because he was holding a knife against Ethan's throat with a look in his eyes filled with infuriation. The kind that could lead someone to kill._

-

_In. Out. In. Out. Inoutinoutinout._

Ethan's breathing was heavy but he tried his best to calm it back down. He was counting to five as he inhaled and then exhaling and counting to five again.

_In. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Out. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Repeat._

Eventually his breathing was more regular. He looked around the room with tired eyes, trying to take in his surroundings. He was in Mark's bedroom and he was safe. Mark was sleeping silently beside him. Dark and Blank were stuck inside his head and their physical forms stayed inside his dreams.

Slipping out of bed as quietly as possible, he headed out for another walk.

-

"Hey Ethan!" Mark practically yelled as he walked into the kitchen. Ethan had just been making his third coffee of the day and it wasn't even midday yet. He was dosing up on caffeine so that he was less of a walking zombie. He didn't want people to worry about him. He was fine. Mark's sudden appearance caught Ethan by surprise so he jumped, dropping the spoon onto the countertop. It made a loud clang noise as the poor man froze up with wide eyes.

"You scared me!" Ethan nervously laughed once he had calmed down. Mark wasn't laughing.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah... just jumpy from the lack of sleep." Mark nodded. Ethan picked the spoon back up and placed it back into the cup, stirring milk into the coffee.

"Hey, Eth?" His voice was softer that time: he was afraid of making Ethan jump again. "I think you should talk to a professional about your... nightmares."

Grabbing the edge of the counter and gripping it so tight his knuckles turned white, Ethan mumbled, "I don't need to. I'm fine. They're not as bad anymore."

Mark knew he was lying but decided against pushing him any more: _surely he'd speak up if he was in trouble._


	6. Chapter 6

_"If you ever talk to Blank like that again, I'll kill you, okay? He is not normal like I am. He is a pathetic demon who deserves nothing. Just like you're a pathetic human who deserves nothing." Dark was trying to drill the bad thoughts and insecurities into Ethan's brain. He was trying not to listen though. He believed that Blank had a conscience and Dark was the one poisoning his thoughts and manipulating him into doing bad things._

_"No," Blank spoke up, eyebrows furrowed. It was in that moment Ethan noticed how white the demon was. He looked like a ghost, pale enough to represent someone who was no longer living. Blank looked like he was no longer living mentally, only dragging himself through the days physically. "You can't do that."_

_"And why's that, Blank?" Dark sounded like he was testing Blank. He sounded overly calm and composed, especially since he had literally just threatened Ethan's life._

_"Because if you kill him, you kill me."_

_"Who said I cared about you?"_

_The other demon's mouth dropped open and then those dreaded black tears formed. "You don't? I thought-" His voice was cracking, a sign of weakness._

_"You thought wrong. You need me. I don't need you."_

_"Dark, I thought you loved me..."_

_"Right." Blank's gaze dropped to his boots as the black dripped onto the floor. The tears were quickly absorbed by the ground, ignored like Blank's emotions were._

_"Dark-" Ethan spoke up but he was shoved against the wall._

_"Don't you try anything smart. You may be cute but that doesn't mean I'll ever go easy on you."_

_"ETHAN!" Someone yelled. The voice echoed around the environment, making all three of them look around to find the owner of it. "WAKE UP!"_

_"He can't save you." Dark muttered, sending a punch flying towards Ethan's face. He let out a short yelp at the unexpected pain. "He'll never be able to. Either I will end up killing you or you'll end up killing yourself. Hey, maybe even Blank will do us a favour and do it for us."_

_"I won't die." Blood dripped down to their feet; it was coming from Ethan's nose. He didn't think it was broken but it sure was bleeding a lot._

_"You let yourself believe that."_

_"ETHAN!" Dark had just ruffled Ethan's hair with his dirty hands before his eyes jerked open._

"Why did you do that?" Ethan wiped his nose with his arm, leaving a trail of red. Mark frowned before leaving the room and coming back with a tissue. He sat cross-legged in front of Ethan and leaned forward to dab Ethan's bleeding nose with the tissue.

"So you expect me to just let you sleep whilst you're mumbling the name of _my_ ego?"

Ethan cast his gaze to his lap before he slowly hugged his legs against his chest. His eyes had glazed over with tears and he jumped when Mark put a hand on his shoulder. His nose was no longer bleeding but the tissue was almost completely red. "I didn't want you to know."

"Was there ever a Blank? Or was it always me- my ego torturing you?" Mark didn't sound angry at the thought that Ethan had lied, he just seemed upset. With himself? With Ethan? Ethan wasn't too sure.

"No, there is Blank. Dark has only started showing up recently. When I... When I sleep with you."

"Oh... then why did you continue to sleep with me? Is this my fault?"

"No. I like waking up next to someone. It reminds me I'm safe and they can't get me here... in the real world."

"I still think you should get help. This isn't... normal."

"Are you telling me I'm insane? Do you want me to be locked up inside some mental asylum?" Ethan's voice was getting louder as his hands clenched at his sides; maybe it was the lack of sleep that was making him both jumpy and antsy.

"No, Ethan. I'm just worried. You can't carry on living like this."

Ethan shook his head, mumbling mostly to himself, "You think I'm a headcase." Mark must have heard though because he looked up with tear-filled eyes.

"I don't. I just-"

"I don't want to hear it." Ethan walked out of Mark's bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

_He thinks you're a headcase. He thinks you're crazy. He wants you out of the house and locked up in a mental asylum._

The voice in his head was familiar. Dark.

He slipped on shoes quicker than ever before and left the house. He needed to walk. He wasn't entirely sure where he'd go but at that point he didn't care. He needed to escape.


	7. Chapter 7

"Where the fuck am I?" Ethan whispered to himself. He had been walking for well over an hour and he was in a part of the city he didn't recognise. He had left his phone back at the apartment so he was lost and very much alone. The buildings looked older than the ones nearer his home and it seemed fairly sketchy.

A group of teenagers dressed in black hoodies were leaning up against walls covered in graffiti. He steered cleared of them because they looked like the exact type of people to be wielding weapons and ready to yell abuse. As much as he hated judging books by covers, he couldn't help the anxiety swirling in the pit of his chest as he passed them. He entered a friendly looking shop with a bright sign, lit up in multiple colours. It seemed friendly and trustworthy enough, despite a couple of the letters on the sign's lights having gone out.

He immediately walked up to the counter. An elderly man was sitting on a chair behind it, doing some sort of puzzle on a piece of paper. Ethan felt slightly bad for interrupting him but he was desperate. "Excuse me?" The man looked up and dropped his pen onto the counter. "Do you have a phone I could use?"

"What for?" He questioned, his voice raspy. He sounded suspicious which was pretty expected, considering how rundown the area had seemed to be. Ethan wouldn't really have been surprised if the crime rates were high and people were constantly suspicious of teenagers. (Sadly Ethan had been arguably blessed with a body that looked like he was a teenager, despite him being 21.)

"I'm lost and need to call a friend for help."

"I can give directions?"

"Okay, thank you so much."

-

Ethan eventually did make it home. He shut the door as quietly as possible behind him, slipping off his shoes and leaving them by the door. He headed up to his room, trying to step as lightly as possible so he didn't make any noise. Much to his luck though, Mark noticed him as he reached the last step.

"Ethan, I don't think you're crazy. I think you can't carry on having nightmares anymore." He mumbled before pulling Ethan into a long, protective hug.

"I know..." Ethan murmured, so quiet that Mark had to strain to make it out. His voice cracked and then he just burst into tears. He buried his head into Mark's shoulder, his tears dampening his shirt.

"Please get help."

"I can't. I don't want to get locked up."

"You won't."

"Please, I'll sort it out."

"If you don't. I'm getting you help."

 _He only wants you to get help so you stop burdening him. He probably finds you whiny and annoying. He wants you gone. Maybe you should just leave._ He hated that Dark could get him when he was awake too. It was making everything so much worse.

"I'm fine, Mark. Please don't worry about me."


	8. Chapter 8

_"Dark isn't here, you have no reason to hurt me." Ethan said. Blank had him up against the wall, his hands harshly pressing into Ethan's shoulders. Harsh enough to leave more bruises. Ethan was going to end up completely black and blue at that rate._

_"I'm sorry," Blank muttered, admitting weakness. "I do need to hurt you. I need Dark. He'll leave if I don't."_

_"You don't need him, Blank. You're a good person- demon- whatever. You have a conscience."_

_"What if he kills me? You? Us? No- stop! You're trying to brainwash me! He said you'd do this!" Blank was yelling, his hands moving from Ethan's shoulders and into his hair. He was tugging at it as his eyes were scrunched shut, black tears dripping down his cheeks. "Dark loves me! He does!"_

_"He doesn't." Ethan tried to keep his voice soothing and not at all menacing. He gently placed a hand on Blank's shoulder but he was quick to swat it away._

_"He does! Shut up! Just... shut up! Leave me alone. I need Dark! I can't live without him..."_

_"You can, I promise you. You don't need anyone." Ethan cried out when Blank shoved him back into the wall. A knife had appeared in his hand and it was up against Ethan's neck that was still covered in faded bruises._

_"Stop trying to brainwash me! I need Dark, of course I do. He loves me. No one else will ever love me." The knife was cutting into the skin and Ethan was trying his best to push Blank away but he was like stone, heavy and practically glued to the floor._

_"Blank, please don't do this. You're going to kill yourself-"_

_"Why does it matter? Why does anything matter? If you're right and Dark doesn't love me, there's no point in me living." Blank was about to press the blade even harder into the skin but Dark appeared out of nowhere... but how? Ethan had fallen asleep alone._

_"Blank, oh Blank... You thought I'd let you have all the fun." Dark held out his hand and brought it to his chest. The knife floated out of Blank's grip and dropped to the floor with a loud clang. Although the cut wasn't deep enough to cause serious harm, it was dripping with blood._

_"Dark!" Blank yelled in surprise, backing up to stand beside the other demon. "I'm so glad you came. He was trying to tell me-"_

_Dark just grunted in response, obviously not caring about what Ethan had said. It was so clear that he didn't care about Blank at all so it was sad that Blank couldn't see that._

_"How are you here?" Ethan mumbled._

_"Your pain. It gives me power and as I grow stronger, I can do more things. Hence why I can speak to you in the real world and show up when you don't sleep with Mark. Soon, I will have a physical form in the real world too."_

_"No..." Ethan was in disbelief: did that mean he'd never escape the torture? Even when he was awake?_

_"Yeah." Dark grinned, proud of how terrified he could make Ethan feel. "You're going to suffer."_

_"Why do you do this to me?"_

_"Because... you're cute and it's fun."_

_Blank blinked, a small smile appearing on his face._

_"I can fight you." Ethan tried to act confident but that was hard when he was smaller than Dark in every way. He felt as small as a mouse standing in front of an elephant. Dark could easily step on him and crush every bone in his body._

_"Right. You let yourself believe that. The only way you can get rid of me is to kill yourself."_

_Ethan yelled out in pain as Dark grabbed his arm and squeezed._

-

Ethan was locked in the bathroom and he could hear Mark frantically hammering on the door. He was hugging his knees and rocking back and forth as Dark's voice echoed around his head telling him to _do it. Do it. Do it. Do it._

He wanted to. The only reason he hadn't yet was the other side of the bathroom door. He had a handful of sleeping pills in his hands, enough to kill himself. He was crying so much that he could barely see but the only thing he cared about was what he was holding in his hands. He swallowed a couple dry before he realised how much he was shaking. His hand was practically a blur which made it hard to direct the pills into his mouth. He probably looked like an idiot.

"Ethan, please open the door!" Mark yelled. Ethan shook his head rapidly to himself but didn't make any effort to swallow more pills. In fact, he opened up his palm and let them all drop onto the floor. The pills went everywhere but he didn't have the strength to pick them up or even think about them.

"Mark!" Ethan wailed, afraid. He really didn't want to die but he felt like he had no other choice. "I don't know what to do. He wants to torture me until I die. I don't want to but I need to!" It was obvious he was crying by how much his voice was cracking so Mark was completely aware of how serious the situation was.

"You don't need to, okay? You'll be okay. I think I know what I can do to help but I don't know if you'll like it."

"I'll do anything. Anything to make them go away."

"I think I need to go away for a bit. Maybe then Dark won't be able to come to you."

Ethan sobbed harder if that was even possible.

"Not forever. Just until..."

"Until?"

"I don't know but we'll figure it out."

Ethan shakily stood up, his legs resembling jelly as he unlocked the door. He practically collapsed into Mark's arms, crying without any tears escaping his eyes: he didn't have any tears left.


	9. Chapter 9

"I promise I'll be back in a couple of weeks. We're just going to see what happens. If you need me, call me. My phone will always be on loud so I'll pick up, no matter what time it is." Mark rambled slightly, hugging Ethan for slightly too long for it to be friendly.

"Okay..." Ethan replied, biting his lip. He didn't want to make it worse for Mark by crying. He was already forcing Mark to leave and that was bad enough.

Mark smiled gently as he picked up his suitcase.

"Say hi to your family for me, will you?"

"Of course. Bye, Eth." Ethan waved slowly and watched as the door closed. He stared at the empty space where Mark had been standing for a moment before allowing himself to cry.

_He wanted to leave. He didn't want to spend any more time with you._

-

_It was just him and Blank._

_Blank's face seemed rather... well... blank. And emotionless, as if he was broken._

_"Ethan, Dark left. He has gone." Blank mumbled, sounding utterly distraught. His whole body was trembling and his shoulders were hunched over. He no longer seemed like a threatening murderer; just a fragile, broken being._

_"So... as long as Mark's gone, Dark's gone. For both of us."_

_Blank nodded, brushing a piece of hair behind his ear. It was too short so it immediately fell back into its place in front of his eye._

_"That's a good thing. Dark is... a horrible, manipulative liar. You deserve so much better."_

_"Ethan, you don't want to say that. I'll-"_

_Ethan cut him off by grabbing both of his hands. He held them to stop them from clenching into weak fists. "You don't want to hurt me. Dark is the one who is brainwashing you... you need to realise that."_

_"I can't. He- He- loves me."_

_"No," Ethan's voice grew softer. "He never loved you, Blank."_

_Blank didn't even have the energy to get angry; he just broke down. Black tears. No words._

_"We can get through this."_

-

Waking up to an empty house was an alien feeling. Ethan was used to the sound of Mark singing in the shower, crashing around in the kitchen or yelling whilst recording. The unusual silence was just eerie. Ethan was completely alone other than Blank in his dreams.

Ethan made himself a cup of coffee, feeling more refreshed than usual since he hadn't endured any injuries that night. He brought it into his recording room and then he turned on the camera. He went for a more vlog-type structure as he decided to open up to his subscribers a bit more. He didn't once mention either of the egos but he did talk about how he had been in a particularly bad place.

He actually felt okay once he shut the camera off. Having a break from Dark's torture had really helped him feel optimistic.

He edited the video the same day, minimising how much he cut it down so that it seemed like a more 'genuine' heart-to-heart. He had a tendency to ramble though so he still had to cut quite a lot of it out. He uploaded it and waited a bit before reading through some of the comments. They were all extremely positive.

He half expected Dark to say, " _They don't really care about you_ " but it didn't come. He smiled as he replied to a few people, thanking them for their kindness.

-

"Hey, Ethan! I miss you loads. My family are cool and all but they're so boring. I miss having you around to joke with and, I have to admit, sleeping in a bed on my own is both cold and lonely. I miss platonically cuddling you. Is that weird? I-"

"Shut up you big goof." Ethan interrupted Mark with a wide, geeky smile. Even through all the pixels, Ethan could see Mark's cheeks go red. "I missed you and your cuddles too."

"How's the whole Dark and Blank situation?" Ethan frowned at the mention of the names, not really wanting to admit the truth. He really didn't want Mark to blame himself but he didn't want to lie either.

"Okay. I only see Blank now and, well, he's... nice enough. I've talked to him. He never wanted to hurt anyone. He was just a bit broken and is in need of a friend who will actually care about him."

Mark snorted before his expression hardened as he realised Ethan was completely serious. "You're telling me you've pretty much befriended that monster?"

"I guess?" Ethan scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly avoiding Mark's gaze (which wasn't hard, considering how much the computer was lagging). "Dark was manipulating him into hurting me. It's horrible really."

"That is Dark's thing... So it's better when I'm not there?"

Ethan shrugged. "I guess that situation is but... I miss you. I need you here."

"I have to go, mum just called. She wants us to eat together as a family," Mark said but he didn't seem too happy about it. "We can talk tomorrow or something."

"Okay..." Ethan was about to say a proper goodbye but Mark had already hung up.


	10. Chapter 10

_"Hey, hey... don't cry..." Ethan held out his hand, wiping away the black tear that had just left Blank's eye._

_"I'm sorry. I just- I miss Dark. I miss having someone here when you're awake." Blank's voice was so quiet that it was almost inaudible but Ethan could make out roughly every word._

_"I know but that's okay. You'll miss him for a while and then you'll get over him. It won't be easy but you can do it. I believe in you."_

_"You do?" Blank looked up with wide eyes and Ethan could see hope amidst the black._

_"I do."_

_"Dark never had hope in me. He always said I could never be capable of anything and he was the only reason I had to be alive."_

_"That's horrible."_

_"Now I'm looking back, I can see why you think he was so mean."_

_"Good. The first step to conquering a problem is acknowledging it!"_

_"Right... hey, Eth?"_

_Ethan hummed a response, noticing the demon's posture slouch slightly: he was nervous about something._

_"Can I have a hug? Dark never liked physical contact and I've almost forgotten what it feels like."_

_"Sure you can!" Ethan wrapped his arms around his ego, tight enough that Blank could feel safe and secure for once in his life._

-

"I'm staying here a little longer." Mark started. Ethan's eyes widened as he definitely did not expect that to be the opening of the Skype call.

"How long? I miss you so badly." Ethan dragged out the first syllable of 'badly', making him sound like a whiny little kid who couldn't get what they wanted.

"I don't know. I was thinking maybe... permanently."

"That's not a little longer? You can't do that. You must be joking." Ethan nervously laughed but Mark didn't seem amused. If anything, he seemed upset by the situation too.

"You're better off without me and Dark. If I'm here, he can't get to you."

"Mark, I need you."

"No, I make this worse for you."

Ethan's eyes were welling with tears and he was so close to letting out a loud, desperate sob. He couldn't lose his best friend. "Please." He didn't even trust his voice to say more than one word.

"This is for the best, okay? You'll appreciate it one day."

"I won't." Ethan swallowed as he tried his best to contain his tears.

"You will."

"Mark, this is unfair! This isn't your fault! You can't just leave me now... I need you here because it's lonely and you make me happy. Maybe Dark makes my life hell but I don't care. I'm willing to face that if it means I can have you in my life."

"Long distance friendships can work?"

"It's not the same. I want you here..."

"I'm telling you this is for the best."

"Right. I bet you don't even care about my feelings. You're just doing this so you don't have to face me anymore. You think I'm annoying and selfish and-" Ethan was hyperventilating. His breathing was awfully heavy and he felt like he was suffocating. He reached out with a shaky hand and ended the call so that Mark wouldn't have to see him have an anxiety attack.

He tightly gripped onto his desk, just so he could feel something that could keep him slightly more grounded. Tears streamed down his face and dripped onto his lap. The walls seemed to be caving in on him and it made his breathing even more irregular.

...then he heard a voice.

_Breathe. Come on, Ethan. You can do it. Inhale, count to five. Exhale, count to five. Repeat. Count with me._

Who was it? Ethan didn't have time to question it so he listened to the surprisingly calming voice.

In. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Out. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

In. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Out. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Eventually he was breathing normally again.

It gave him time to think about the voice so he soon realised who it was.

Blank.

Blank had helped him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Mark move out?
> 
> Will Blank replace Mark as Ethan's best friend?
> 
> Is Dark gone forever?
> 
>  
> 
> **  
> _FIND OUT NEXT TIME ON WAKE UP!_  
>  **


	11. Chapter 11

Even when Ethan had been living off a few hours sleep every night and had been tortured daily, he had never felt so mentally down. He didn't feel hungry so he ended up skipping the majority of his meals. The only times he did eat was when Blank told him to. He didn't even have the energy to record, despite usually being a bundle of energy and hyperactivity. He did force himself to film videos though because he had a schedule to stick to; he just hoped no one would notice.

They did.

_Ethan, are you okay? You seem quiet._

_Is it just me or is he less hyper and loud? He isn't really himself._

_You look really tired. Are you getting enough sleep? If YouTube is stressing you out then you could always take a break. We'll understand <3_

Ethan let out a short groan as he shut his laptop. He felt guilty that so many people were worrying about him but the only thing that he could think of that might help him get better was Mark. And he was hours away in another state.

That night, Ethan curled up in Mark's bed, wearing one of his jumpers that were slightly too big on him. The sleeves came passed his hands but he liked it that way. It made him feel warm. Safe. Secure. His eyes fluttered shut and he drifted into the dream world easily, something that had become almost second nature to him. He'd never have to toss or turn in bed, he'd just fall asleep almost immediately.

_Blank was pacing up and down, pulling at his hair. His face looked even paler than usual and the black shirt he always wore was hanging off him, as if he had lost weight. "...Blank?" Ethan questioned, hesitantly approaching his ego. Blank met his eyes so that Ethan could see the black tear tracks on his face. He was breaking down._

_"I can't do this. I need him. Without him I'm nothing. We should die. Die together." Blank was mumbling so fast that his words were merging together but the other could still make out the majority of what he was saying._

_"Blank... you don't need him." But he didn't say no to killing himself._

_"I do. I do, I do, I do." Blank's hand was tucked in his pocket so he pulled it out, revealing that he had a knife. "I need him like you need Mark."_

_Ethan understood what he was trying to say but Mark was different. He was a good person. He wasn't a liar nor a murderer. "But Mark doesn't want to hurt us."_

_"You think that but he left you alone. He's gone and just look at yourself. You don't eat and you're suffering. This is his fault."_

_He didn't want to believe him but he could see his point. Mark had just left him. "He doesn't know I'm hurting."_

_"But has he even bothered to contact you? He hasn't... because he doesn't care. Dark doesn't care."_

_"Okay," His voice was barely above a whisper. "Let's end this pain together." ___

__-_ _

___Ethan's body was shaking as blood dripped down onto the floor from the lines on his wrist. He had never seen so much of the red and he couldn't help but see beauty within it. Blank was beside him, breathing gently as his eyes flickered shut. His wrists were in the same state, if anything worse._ _ _

___"ETHAN!" Someone yelled. Mark. Ethan desperately looked around the room but couldn't see anyone. He started to panic as regret flooded his body. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die. "PLEASE WAKE UP! I CAN'T LOSE YOU!"_ _ _

___"Mark..." Ethan's voice was weak and shaky. He reached out and grabbed Blank's hand that was getting colder by the minute. If he was going to wake up, Blank was coming with him._ _ _

__Ethan's eyes opened. They were heavy as he avoided Mark's gaze. "I'm sorry," He cried. He sat up and a cloud of black air exited his body before forming the shape of a man. Blank. He had a physical form. "I'm so sorry. I don't want to die."_ _

__"We need to clean you up. I don't think either of you have... uh... cut deep enough to need stitches." Mark took both Blank and Ethan's cold hands and pulled them into the bathroom. He grabbed a roll of toilet paper and pressed some into the cuts on both of their wrists. It didn't take long for the tissue to be covered in red._ _

__"Is he here? Is he going to come and get us?" Blank muttered, black tears rolling down his face as usual._ _

__"Not at the moment. We're safe until we sleep." Ethan replied because it was fairly obvious Mark wasn't listening. He was pressing the tissues into Ethan's wrists, looking away every so often and grimacing at the sight of blood._ _

__"No, no, no. He's getting stronger. He almost has a physical form."_ _

__"He won't get either of you, okay? I'll make sure of it." Mark might as well have been wearing a cape or some shining armour: he was Ethan and Blank's saviours._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_oR wIlL hE?_ **


	12. Chapter 12

"Ethan, why are you still awake?" Mark asked, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. Ethan just shrugged, barely looking up from his laptop to meet Mark's gaze. He was trying to get ahead with his editing but really that was simply an excuse not to sleep.

"Editing." He mumbled. He cut down one of the clips, feeling like Mark was watching him over his shoulder (because he was).

"You should sleep. I could sleep next to you and wake you up if- wait no that's a stupid idea." Mark laughed at himself but it was obvious he was still apprehensive.

"I'll be fine. You go to bed."

"Promise you'll try and sleep within the next hour?"

"Fine. As soon as I finish editing. Does that make you feel better?"

Mark nodded and smiled gently at his friend before leaving the room.

As soon as he left, Ethan could have sworn he saw a shadow move in the corner. He blamed it on his exhaustion but it wasn't just him being tired.

Something or _someone_ was in the room with him.

-

Ethan woke up with an intense pain in his neck. He had slept without dreaming at all for the first time in a while. Not even Blank had made an appearance. He felt more refreshed than ever before, despite the sharp pain in his neck. Falling asleep at his desk had been a big mistake but he couldn't have done anything to stop that. Well... maybe he could but he didn't care.

He glanced at the clock on the wall to see the hands were pointing at twelve and five. He had only slept for about five hours but that was a lot to him. He cracked his neck, shutting down his computer properly and heading to his bedroom.

-

"What time is it?" Ethan mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Both Blank and Mark were sat at the kitchen table and Blank had a bowl of cereal in front of him. He kept picking up the spoon really obscurely, as if he had never seen a spoon before.

"Eleven. I didn't want to wake you because you looked really peaceful." Mark replied before assisting Blank and showing him how to properly hold a spoon. Ethan let out a tiny chuckle at the sight: a demon who looked like an adult but was unable to use a simple piece of cutlery.

"How'd you sleep?" He directed the question at both of them but Mark was the first to answer.

"The same as usually really, you?"

"I've never slept so well." Ethan turned to look at Blank who was too transfixed in his cereal to notice he had been asked a question. Mark tapped him on the shoulder, making him jump violently and drop the spoon in the process.

"I slept okay, I guess. Sleeping isn't exactly something demons do but it was kind of fun. Shutting down my body so I'm completely defenceless for eight hours or so."

Mark and Ethan both laughed at Blank's lack of knowledge of the way the humankind worked but, in reality, his innocence and naivety was pretty adorable.

-

"You're the same size as Ethan, right? I mean, you must be if you're his evil ego thing." Mark mumbled, mostly to himself. Ethan was standing beside him, sifting through his drawers that really needed clearing out.

"Why do I need more clothes? I like this outfit." Blank bit his lip, gesturing to his black shirt, skinny jeans and boots.

"Because there's this thing us humans like to call _hygiene_."

"I know what hygiene is you doofus. I just have a million of these shirts and trousers."

"Here, try this." Ethan chucked him one of old hoodies that he had stopped wearing for no reason other than he had forgotten it had existed. Blank looked at it with an immense amount of disgust on his face.

"I don't wear colour."

Ethan rolled his eyes, making Blank sigh. "I guess I'll wear it though... just whilst my clothes are in the wash."

"You do realise you can go back to the demon world any time, right?" Ethan questioned. Blank looked down at the shirt in his hand to avoid the human's gaze and sighed. "But I get it. You're not ready to see Dark again."


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm just going to go to the shop, you coming?" Mark questioned.

Ethan shook his head, responding, "Got editing to do."

"Fair enough. Blank? Do you want to go on an adventure?"

"The human world isn't that different to the demon world, Mark... but fine." Blank stood up and followed Mark out of the room, leaving Ethan on his own.

He decided that being home alone was an opportunity to get ahead with recording. He sat down at his desk, turned on the camera and belted out his intro. He didn't get very far before something made him stop.

He could have sworn he heard footsteps.

Slowly pulling off his headphones and placing them on the table, he strained to try and hear the quiet sounds again. Sure enough, there they were. The footsteps.

"Mark?" He yelled, his voice shaky. He had no reason to feel paranoid; he shared the house with another person (or two more people if Blank counted) so it was expected for the other person to make noises. What made him even more anxious was the fact that he didn't get a response from the person, whoever it was.

He pulled his door open ever so slowly, swallowing thickly and trying to convince himself he was making a big deal out of nothing. He peaked out into the hallway but it was empty. His head whipped to the side when a shadow moved. "Mark, you're really scaring me now." Ethan muttered, more to keep himself sane than to get an answer.

"Oh, Ethan..." It sounded like Mark but there was no doubt it was his evil ego. Ethan slammed the door to his recording room shut, pressing his back against it as he breathed heavily. He was hallucinating, right? Dark didn't have a physical form. He wasn't in the house. "Ethan, Ethan, Ethan..." Ethan's head snapped around again and, sure enough, Dark was standing there.

He was grinning, like Ethan's fear was nothing but a game to him. Ethan's eyes were burning with tears but he refused to cry. He needed to manipulate Dark into thinking he wasn't afraid. Beat the expert at their own game.

"You and Blank are so pathetic. Seriously... a demon that doesn't crave blood on his hands? That's unheard of. It should be illegal. And now you and Mark are going to make him seem like a real human. How cute... but he'll never be a human. He will always be a demon and he will never belong here."

"Shut up about Blank! He's actually a nice person-"

"Person," Dark snorted. "He'll never be like you. It's in a demon's nature to want power and to kill."

"Blank isn't like that."

"You wouldn't have said that when he was torturing you."

"That wasn't his fault! You were manipulating him. You manipulative-" Ethan started to yell the last sentence but he cut himself off by using all of his energy to shove the demon backwards. He didn't even stumble. He merely rolled his eyes at Ethan, staying still, as if he was a statue.

"Be careful what you say. You may be cute but I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Do it then. Kill me."

"Trust me, you don't want that. I'll make it as slow and as painful as possible."

"You wouldn't dare. You like me and Blank. If we were gone, you'd have no one to torture."

"I don't need you two anymore. I've found someone new. Little did Blank know, I had another boyfriend the whole time. He was just a little game on the side."

"That's horrible. You're horrible."

"How sweet of you. That means so much to me!" Dark crept forward before snaking an arm around Ethan's neck. He kept his grip weak so it would have been easy for Ethan to slip out off. He soon tightened it, so much so that Ethan couldn't speak; he was just gasping for air. "You're so cute and pretty, it's a shame I have to kill you like this."

"Please-" Ethan choked out, his eyes wide and helpless.

"No amount of begging can save you now." Dark dropped the man, rendering him a breathless heap on the floor.

Then the sound of the front door closing echoed around the apartment.

"You got lucky," Dark spat, kicking Ethan's weak body. "Or should I make them watch?"

"Please don't. They don't-" Ethan gasped. "Deserve to see it."

"Lucky you then." Dark clicked his fingers and he faded into a black mist.

"What are you doing down there?" Mark asked once he had entered Ethan's room. He obviously hadn't noticed the scrunched up look of pain on the other's face.

"I tripped. You know how clumsy I am," Ethan chuckled, wincing as he stood up. "I hit my side on my table, what an idiot, right?"

Mark laughed at Ethan, a sign he totally believed the lie.

-

That night Ethan was certain Dark was going to kill him.

He made sure to randomly hug both Blank and Mark before they parted ways to go to bed. The hug lingered longer than it should have, mainly because Ethan was petrified to let go. He didn't want to have to say goodbye.

He, in the least creepy way possible, crept into Mark's bedroom once he was certain the other man was asleep. He leaned forward and whispered, "I love you..." **(this can be taken either platonically or romantically)** before backing out of the room again. Every part of him hoped that wouldn't be the last time he saw his roommate.

He then tucked himself up in bed and awaited Dark's appearance.


	14. Chapter 14

_"Time to say goodbye, Ethan." Dark smirked, towering over the smaller man. Ethan was a mess on the floor, tears streaming down his face as he screamed endlessly for help. He was desperate for Mark to come and save the day but he knew that wasn't going to happen. No one was coming. No one was going to save him. "Tell me, did you have feelings for Mark?"_

_"No-" Ethan started but before he could even finish his sentence, Dark sent a kick flying towards his stomach. He coughed, blood coming up._

_"The truth, please."_

_"I didn't. I just-"_

_Another kick. Another cough. More blood._

_"I loved him like a brother. He-"_ **(you can decide whether Ethan is telling the truth or not. I interpret it as the truth oops.)**

_Dark let out a loud, dramatic 'tut' and shook his head, circling Ethan as if he was his prey. "Why do you still insist on lying, even if you have nothing to lose?" They went silent, the only sound being Ethan's heavy breaths and occasional cough. "Hilarious. You still have hope. You humans and that hope stuff. Just give up already and accept your fate."_

_"Mark-"_

_"Shut up! Mark can't save you this time. You're going to die and you're-"_

_"MARK!" He screamed, a desperate sob escaping his mouth."MARK, PLEASE!" Dark was chuckling at the sight of the man, pathetically yelling for someone who was never going to come._

_"And still you continue to hope. I could watch this all day."_

_"Please don't do this. You gain nothing from killing me."_

_"You're right but it's so undeniably fun. You wouldn't understand. You humans have... what's it called... a conscience? Stupid, if you ask me."_

_Dark lifted his leg up and the world moved in slow motion as the kick was directed at Ethan's face._

_"Dark?" A voice called, making Dark freeze, his foot midair. He didn't have an American accent like Dark and Ethan but... an Irish one?_

_"Anti, please leave. This is private stuff." Dark grumbled, dropping his foot back to where it should have been- on the floor. The other demon frowned slightly, diverting his gaze from Ethan to Dark. Ethan. Dark. Ethan. Dark._

_"Are you killing another human? What did he do? Wait! Is this Ethan? That human you were really obsessed with?"_

_"Anti, shut up and go. You don't need to know what's going on."_

_"But why are you trying to kill him? I thought you liked him? You said he was your favourite-"_

_"ANTI!" Dark yelled and, for a moment, Ethan expected him to lunge and attack the other demon. He stayed put, his arms limp at his sides. "Leave."_

_"No. I don't want you to kill him. Last time you killed someone you cried and I can't imagine how you'll react when you kill your favourite human."_

_Dark? Cry? Ethan refused to believe that. Dark was simply an evil torturer and he most certainly did not have a soft side._

_"Will you please be quiet? I need to do this."_

_"No you don't. Just let him go and move on."_

_"You're not my dad!"_

_"That's not what-" Dark's eyebrows raised in a way that basically told Anti to back off. Anti finally listened and backed off with his words but stepped forward literally. He placed a hand on Dark's shoulder, making the other push him away rather violently. Dark brushed the shoulder of his suit as if Anti's hands were dirty. "Just leave him alone. Jack seems like he's about to fall asleep so you can let out whatever pent up rage you have on him, okay? Let him go."_

_"Fine," Dark turned to face Ethan, letting out a soft sigh. "But I will be back one day. And until then, you should dread that day."_

_Anti rolled his eyes before grabbing Dark's hand and saying, "As long as I'm here, he won't be back. You're safe from this guy."_

_Ethan just about had the energy to mumble, "Thank you..." Then he woke up._

-

Everything seemed too bright. The sun shining through his curtains burned his eyes, making him squint as he glanced around his bedroom. He sat up but not without wincing and letting out a gentle groan. Pain spread all over his body like fire. Ethan swung his legs over the edge of the bed (not without wincing) and stood up, his legs resembling a substance like jelly.

He headed down the hallway, limping from where he had been kicked. He was going to hide in the bathroom for a moment so that he could figure out how to make himself look more presentable.

Just to his luck, he bumped into Mark. It wasn't a hard bump but it was enough to elicit another wave of pain throughout Ethan's body. He gasped, bending over and scrunching his eyes shut. "Ethan? Are you okay? I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was-" He started but Ethan cut him off.

"It's not your fault. Just- Just I had a bad night." Ethan managed to stand straight again but not without Mark seeing his face. He had a black eye and there was dried blood on his nose. Mark immediately connected the dots.

"Dark came back... didn't he?"

Ethan nodded, feeling almost ashamed that he was going to try and keep it from his friend. "But he's gone. He was going... going to kill me but his boyfriend- or at least I assume it was his boyfriend- came along and convinced him to let me go. I don't think he'll bother us ever again."

"We need to clean you up." Mark linked arms with Ethan and assisted him with his journey to the bathroom. He told Ethan to sit down whilst he filled up the bath, making sure to fill it with lots of bubbles. When it contained enough water, he said to Ethan, "I'll go now but call me once you're dressed and I'll help you get back to the bedroom, okay?"

Ethan shook his head, mumbling, "Is it okay if you stay? I don't know if I'll be able to get undressed by myself."

"Of course, Eth." Mark smiled before stepping forward, closer to his friend.

-

"Hey, Mark? I never asked but when you saved me the first time, what were you doing home?" Ethan asked. They were in a rather compromising position, looking suspiciously like a couple as Ethan was laying with his head in Mark's lap as Mark played with his hair. **(Interpret this the way you want. To me they're just two platonic bros cuddling.)**

"I was coming to get my stuff." Mark mumbled, twirling a strand of Ethan's hair around his finger.

"Oh... so you did plan on leaving?"

"Yeah... I'm sorry. It really would have been for the best though."

"I get it. I'm sorry I got so angry and upset."

"It's okay, Eth. I'm just glad you turned out okay. If I had come home any later-" Mark's voice cracked, making Ethan frown.

"We don't need to talk about it. It didn't happen. You saved mine and Blank's lives."

"Hey-" Blank started, bursting into the living room after only just waking up. "Wait... what did I miss?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep an eye out for a sequel! Because I'm so creative, it will be called Wake Up 2 :P
> 
> Here's the description of the sequel for that one person wondering:
> 
> _Dark is back and he has a partner._
> 
> _Jack seems okay on the outside but he is secretly breaking down. He can't tell his friends. They can't know._
> 
> _So he continues to have nightmares. Nightmares that wreck his sleep schedule. Nightmares that cause him physical harm. Nightmares that could very literally be the death of him._


End file.
